The Simpsons Boss Names 1 A-List Guest Star The Show Has Never Managed To Land

Over the years, The Simpsons has welcomed Oscar-winning actors, celebrated music icons, legendary sports stars and even world leaders to the hallowed streets of Springfield.

But after 37 years and 800 episodes, showrunner Matt Selman has admitted there’s one A-lister the team has never quite managed to nab for a Simpsons guest role.

Asked to name his most sought-after guest star during a recent interview with People magazine, the long-running show’s executive producer offered two words: “Will Ferrell.”

“Come on, Will. We keep writing great stuff for you,” Selman then urged the Anchorman star.

The Simpsons started life as a series of short cartoons on Tracey Ullman’s US variety show in the 1980s, before landing its own stand-alone series in 1989.

It has gone on to become the longest-running scripted primetime series in American TV history, celebrating its 800th episode airing earlier this year.

Over the years, guest stars have included everyone from Meryl Streep, Sir Paul McCartney and Johnny Cash to Britney Spears, Angela Bassett and former UK prime minister Tony Blair.

Dustin Hoffman made a memorable guest appearance early on in the show’s run under a pseudonym, while Ricky Gervais guest starred in an episode that he’d written himself.

Back in 2012, Lady Gaga also played herself in an episode centred around the Bad Romance singer paying a visit to Springfield.

Meanwhile, the current season alone is due to feature guest appearances from Lindsay Lohan, Oscar winners Viola Davis and Kieran Culkin, Tony winner Cole Escola and Simpsons regular Albert Brooks.

Last year, it was confirmed that a second spin-off Simpsons film would be hitting cinemas in the summer of 2027, 20 years after the first movie premiered.

The first 36 seasons of The Simpsons are available to stream now on Disney+, with new episodes in the 37th run premiering on the platform weekly.